Burunche’s Blog

Isaiah 44:21-23 Israel Is Not Forgotten

“Remember these, O Jacob, and Israel, for you are My servant; I have formed you, you are My servant; O Israel, you will not be forgotten by Me! I have blotted out, like a thick cloud, your transgressions, and like a cloud, your sins. Return to Me, for I have redeemed you.”

Sing, O heavens, for the Lord has done it! Shout, you lower parts of the earth; break forth into singing, you mountains, O forest, and every tree in it! For the Lord has redeemed Jacob, and glorified Himself in Israel.

Isaiah 44:24-28 Judah Will Be Restored

“Thus says the Lord, your Redeemer, and He who formed you from the womb: “I am the Lord, who makes all things, Who stretches out the heavens all alone, Who spreads abroad the earth by Myself; Who frustrates the signs of the babblers, and drives diviners mad; Who turns wise men backward, and makes their knowledge foolishness; Who confirms the word of His servant, and performs the counsel of His messengers; Who says to Jerusalem, ‘You shall be inhabited,’ To the cities of Judah, ‘You shall be built,’ and I will raise up her waste places; Who says to the deep, ‘Be dry! And I will dry up your rivers’; Who says of Cyrus, ‘He is My shepherd, And he shall perform all My pleasure, saying to Jerusalem, “You shall be built,” And to the temple, “Your foundation shall be laid.” ’

Matthew 1:18-21 “Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: After His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit. Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not wanting to make her a public example, was minded to put her away secretly. But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.”

Galatians 4:4-5 “But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, “Abba, Father!” Therefore you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.”

Here Isaiah is prophesying about King Cyrus by name; however, Cyrus won’t even be born for another 100 or so years. When we study the Scriptures, we realize that God precisely timed the return of the Jews and the rebuilding of the temple, preparing the way for the coming of Jesus. For Jesus to come, Jerusalem and the temple both needed to be rebuilt and the land needed to be re-settled after the Babylonian conquest. King Cyrus of Persia lived between 600 B.C. and 530 B.C., ruling for much of that time.

Now God is promising to redeem Israel. There are several differing kinds of redemption. There are several meanings of the word “redeem” as defined in the Merriam-Webster Dictionary: to buy back : repurchase, to get or win back, to free from what distresses or harms: such as to free from captivity by payment of ransom, to extricate from or help to overcome something detrimental, to release from blame or debt : clear, to free from the consequences of sin, to change for the better : reform, repair, restore, to free from a lien by payment of an amount secured thereby, to remove the obligation of by payment, for example, the U.S. Treasury redeems savings bonds on demand, to exchange for something of value, redeem trading stamps, to make good : fulfill, to atone for : expiate, redeem an error, to offset the bad effect of to make worthwhile : retrieve.

Decades ago, Americans used to receive trading stamps when they shopped. These stamps could be put into a book and then turned in or “redeemed” for many kinds of items. Some newly weds purchased their first silverware and dishes by saving these stamps. God has a much larger problem with Israel, for Israel as a nation has split into two smaller nations and the citizens of both nations have pursued idolatry, despite all God’s warnings through His Word and the prophets. Sins demand a blood sacrifice for redemption, but no mortal has ever been good enough for their blood to wipe out the sins of the world. This is why in the fullness of time, God has sent His Son Jesus to live and die as a sinless man and to be raised from the dead after conquering death, hell, and the grave. There is a wonderful old British carol that expresses the joy of the coming Redeemer.

See Amid the Winter’s Snow

See amid the winter’s snow, born for us on earth below,

See the tender Lamb appears, promised from eternal years.

Chorus: Hail, thou ever-blessed morn! Hail Redemption’s happy dawn!

Sing throughout Jerusalem, Christ is born in Bethlehem.

Lo, within a manger lies, he who built the starry skies

He, who throned in height sublime sits amid the cherubim.

Chorus: Hail, thou ever-blessed morn! Hail Redemption’s happy dawn!

Sing throughout Jerusalem, Christ is born in Bethlehem.

Say, ye holy shepherds, say, what your joyful news today
Wherefore have ye left your sheep on the lonely mountain steep?
Chorus: Hail, thou ever-blessed morn! Hail Redemption’s happy dawn!

Sing throughout Jerusalem, Christ is born in Bethlehem.

As we watched at dead of night, lo we saw a wondrous sight!

Angels singing “Peace on earth” told us of the Savior’s birth.

Chorus: Hail, thou ever-blessed morn! Hail Redemption’s happy dawn!

Sing throughout Jerusalem, Christ is born in Bethlehem.

Sacred infant, all divine, what a tender love was thine
Thus to come from highest bliss down to such a world as this.
Chorus: Hail, thou ever-blessed morn! Hail Redemption’s happy dawn!

Sing throughout Jerusalem, Christ is born in Bethlehem.

Teach, O teach us, holy Child, by thy face so meek and mild,
teach us to resemble thee, in thy sweet humility.

Chorus: Hail, thou ever-blessed morn! Hail Redemption’s happy dawn!

Sing throughout Jerusalem, Christ is born in Bethlehem.

Sing through all Jerusalem Christ is born in Bethlehem!
Hail, thou ever-blessed morn! Hail Redemption’s happy dawn!

Sing throughout Jerusalem, Christ is born in Bethlehem.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and caring for us. Lord, we cannot possibly understand the glories of heaven that You left when You came to be our Redeemer. We can only thank and praise You forever. In Your mighty and precious Name, King Jesus. Amen.

Isaiah 43:10-15 “You are My witnesses,” says the Lord, “And My servant whom I have chosen,
That you may know and believe Me, and understand that I am He. Before Me there was no God formed, nor shall there be after Me. I, even I, am the Lord, and besides Me there is no savior. I have declared and saved, I have proclaimed, and there was no foreign god among you; therefore you are My witnesses,” says the Lord, “that I am God. Indeed before the day was, I am He; and there is no one who can deliver out of My hand; I work, and who will reverse it?” Thus says the Lord, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: “For your sake I will send to Babylon, and bring them all down as fugitives—The Chaldeans, who rejoice in their ships. I am the Lord, your Holy One, the Creator of Israel, your King.”

The Lord God of Heaven and Earth chose the descendants of Abraham for His own people and brought them out of Egypt. But God warned the Israelites that they must worship Him alone, forsaking all idols. When the nation split into two parts, Israel, the Northern Kingdom, quickly descended into gross idolatry and was eventually conquered by the Assyrians, who devastated the land, slaughtering many and carrying the remainder into captivity, a captivity from which they never returned as a group. The Babylonians conquered the Southern Kingdom of Judah; however, the prophet Jeremiah foretold that these exiles would return to Judah after 70 years.

Ezra 1:1- 4 “Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and also put it in writing, saying,

Thus says Cyrus king of Persia: All the kingdoms of the earth the Lord God of heaven has given me. And He has commanded me to build Him a house at Jerusalem which is in Judah. Who is among you of all His people? May his God be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem which is in Judah, and build the house of the Lord God of Israel (He is God), which is in Jerusalem. And whoever is left in any place where he dwells, let the men of his place help him with silver and gold, with goods and livestock, besides the freewill offerings for the house of God which is in Jerusalem.”

Miraculously, after 70 years, God moved King Cyrus of Persia to decree that the temple in Jerusalem should be rebuilt. Cyrus even sent large quantities of gold and silver with the group led by Ezra. Ezra, the high priest for the exiles in Babylon, led a large group back to Jerusalem, taking four months to complete the trip. This journey was very dangerous, exposing the cavalcade to attacks from all kinds of bandits and wayward armies.

Isaiah 43:16-21 “Thus says the Lord, who makes a way in the sea and a path through the mighty waters, Who brings forth the chariot and horse, the army and the power (They shall lie down together, they shall not rise; they are extinguished, they are quenched like a wick): “Do not remember the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing, now it shall spring forth; shall you not know it? I will even make a road in the wilderness and rivers in the desert. The beast of the field will honor Me, the jackals and the ostriches, because I give waters in the wilderness and rivers in the desert, to give drink to My people, My chosen. This people I have formed for Myself; they shall declare My praise.”

While Ezra may have known these prophecies from Isaiah, he also might have wondered if those prophecies would really apply to his group. When the returning exiles fasted and prayed, God honored the promises He had made by Isaiah.

Ezra 8:21-23 “Then I proclaimed a fast there at the river of Ahava, that we might humble ourselves before our God, to seek from Him the right way for us and our little ones and all our possessions. For I was ashamed to request of the king an escort of soldiers and horsemen to help us against the enemy on the road, because we had spoken to the king, saying, “The hand of our God is upon all those for good who seek Him, but His power and His wrath are against all those who forsake Him.” So we fasted and entreated our God for this, and He answered our prayer.”

So, the exiles returned, and a modest temple was built in Jerusalem. (This temple was later completely rebuilt under Herod the Great.) Under the leadership of Nehemiah, the city walls were rebuilt and the gates also hung, indicating that Jerusalem was now a proper city. But something more was required before Messiah would come: a government that would efficiently organize the known world, creating excellent roads and communication.

Luke 2:1-2 “And it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered.This census first took place while Quirinius was governing Syria.” The Romans might have worshiped idols, but they were ace administrators and builders. All over Europe and Great Britain, Roman roads, aqueducts, and stadia still exist as silent witnesses of the skill of their Roman creators.

Why was it necessary to bring Jews back from Babylon? Even though the Jews had failed to serve God as they should have, God still kept His promises. God knew that after 70 years, the Jews would have gotten a much broader experience of the horrors of paganism and would be far more willing to serve Him. No matter how bad things got spiritually in either Israel or Judah, God always had a remnant of believers who truly worshiped Him. Now God returned the Jews from Babylon, fulfilling His promises in Isaiah 43 by protecting them on the way. God brought in the Romans with the pax Romana, the Roman Peace, so that the Gospel could spread swiftly and effectively.

No matter how chaotic things appeared, God always knew what He was doing and His timing was perfect. What do these observations mean for us? Frequently, we feel as if we are caught in a tornado. We feel overwhelmed by the stresses from family, jobs, finances, etc. We are terrified that we will fail and that everything will fall apart. But God has not changed, and God is still on the throne, working everything out. No matter the trials, God remains with us and will continue to help us.

There is an old hymn whose words can reassure us.

GOD IS WORKING HIS PURPOSE OUT

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cr3goa3DXsw

God is working his purpose out as year succeeds to year:
God is working his purpose out, and the time is drawing near;
nearer and nearer draws the time, the time that shall surely be,
when the earth shall be filled with the glory of God
as the waters cover the sea.

From utmost east to utmost west, wherever foot hath trod,
by the mouth of many messengers goes forth the voice of God;
give ear to me, ye continents, ye isles, give ear to me,
that earth may filled with the glory of God
as the waters cover the sea.

What can we do to work God’s work, to prosper and increase
the brotherhood of all mankind–the reign of the Prince of Peace?
What can we do to hasten the time–the time that shall surely be,
when the earth shall be filled with the glory of God
as the waters cover the sea.

March we forth in the strength of God, with the banner of Christ unfurled,
that the light of the glorious gospel of truth may shine throughout the world:
fight we the fight with sorrow and sin to set their captives free,
that earth may filled with the glory of God
as the waters cover the sea.

All we can do is nothing worth unless God blessed the deed;
vainly we hope for the harvest-tide till God gives life to the seed;
yet nearer and nearer draws the time, the time that shall surely be,
when the earth shall be filled with the glory of God
as the waters cover the sea.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, many of us are hurt, confused, lost, and afraid. Please enter every trembling heart and bring Your peace. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Isaiah 43:1-4 “But now, thus says the Lord, who created you, O Jacob, and He who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; you are Mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, nor shall the flame scorch you. For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior;
I gave Egypt for your ransom, Ethiopia and Seba in your place. Since you were precious in My sight, you have been honored, and I have loved you; therefore I will give men for you, and people for your life.”

Jewish Believers Disobey the King. Daniel 3: 8-29 “Therefore at that time certain Chaldeans came forward and accused the Jews. They spoke and said to King Nebuchadnezzar, “O king, live forever! You, O king, have made a decree that everyone who hears the sound of the horn, flute, harp, lyre, and psaltery, in symphony with all kinds of music, shall fall down and worship the gold image; and whoever does not fall down and worship shall be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace. There are certain Jews whom you have set over the affairs of the province of Babylon: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego; these men, O king, have not paid due regard to you. They do not serve your gods or worship the gold image which you have set up.”

Then Nebuchadnezzar, in rage and fury, gave the command to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego. So they brought these men before the king. Nebuchadnezzar spoke, saying to them, “Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the gold image which I have set up? Now if you are ready at the time you hear the sound of the horn, flute, harp, lyre, and psaltery, in symphony with all kinds of music, and you fall down and worship the image which I have made, good! But if you do not worship, you shall be cast immediately into the midst of a burning fiery furnace. And who is the god who will deliver you from my hands?”

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego answered and said to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. If that is the case, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us from your hand, O king. But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we do not serve your gods, nor will we worship the gold image which you have set up.”

Saved in Fiery Trial

“Then Nebuchadnezzar was full of fury, and the expression on his face changed toward Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego. He spoke and commanded that they heat the furnace seven times more than it was usually heated. And he commanded certain mighty men of valor who were in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, and cast them into the burning fiery furnace. Then these men were bound in their coats, their trousers, their turbans, and their other garments, and were cast into the midst of the burning fiery furnace. Therefore, because the king’s command was urgent, and the furnace exceedingly hot, the flame of the fire killed those men who took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego. And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, fell down bound into the midst of the burning fiery furnace.

Then King Nebuchadnezzar was astonished; and he rose in haste and spoke, saying to his counselors, “Did we not cast three men bound into the midst of the fire?”

They answered and said to the king, “True, O king.”

“Look!” he answered, “I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire; and they are not hurt, and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.”

Nebuchadnezzar Praises God

Then Nebuchadnezzar went near the mouth of the burning fiery furnace and spoke, saying, “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, servants of the Most High God, come out, and come here.” Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego came from the midst of the fire. And the satraps, administrators, governors, and the king’s counselors gathered together, and they saw these men on whose bodies the fire had no power; the hair of their head was not singed nor were their garments affected, and the smell of fire was not on them.

Nebuchadnezzar spoke, saying, “Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, who sent His Angel and delivered His servants who trusted in Him, and they have frustrated the king’s word, and yielded their bodies, that they should not serve nor worship any god except their own God! Therefore I make a decree that any people, nation, or language which speaks anything amiss against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego shall be cut in pieces, and their houses shall be made an ash heap; because there is no other God who can deliver like this.”

God has allowed King Nebuchadnezzar to conquer Judah; however, he also conquered Egypt, Ethiopia, and all the other surrounding countries. Always on the lookout for talent, Nebuchadnezzar has identified Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego as bright young men who can help him rule effectively. But there’s a hitch: these men worship the One True Living God and refuse to worship any idol. Nebuchadnezzar has set up a golden idol 90 feet tall by 9 feet wide and is demanding that everyone come worship this idol when they hear music playing. Those refusing to worship will be thrown into a fiery furnace.

We don’t know how Daniel escapes this particular challenge, but the other three young men refuse to worship the golden idol. Nebuchadnezzar is so enraged that he orders the furnace to be heated seven times hotter than it ever has before, killing the soldiers who drag the young men with their hands tied to throw them into the furnace. But a miracle happens, for these three believers find themselves walking through the fire unharmed, and a fourth figure who looks like the Son of God” is walking with them. When the king calls the young men to come out of the furnace, they appear unharmed; in fact, they don’t even smell like smoke.

Nebuchadnezzar orders all his people to refrain from saying anything against this God, threatening to cut such blasphemers in pieces and to tear down their houses, “For there is no other god who can deliver like this.” Sadly, Nebuchadnezzar refuses to follow this God; instead, he persists in worshiping his traditional gods and himself. It will take a severe personal trial before Nebuchadnezzar will become a true believer.

There are arguments surrounding the identity of the fourth man walking in the fire; however, why should we doubt Nebuchadnezzar’s words, that this man appears to be the Son of God? And why doubt that this pagan ruler is speaking by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit? God used a donkey to speak to Balaam, so why can’t a world ruler with vast experience make an accurate observation?

What does this prophecy and the story from Daniel have to do with us? We can rest assured that when we go through any kind of trial, Jesus will be there with us. Remember that one of Jesus’ names is “Immanuel,” or “Emmanuel.” No matter how you spell it, that name still means “God with us.”

Should we deliberately enter a fire to test God? No! Jesus refused to test God, so we too should refuse. Does this story mean that believers will never be injured or die in fires? No. We should take all precautions to avoid becoming trapped in a fire anywhere; however, we might still be injured or killed. But we can trust that no matter what happens to us, no matter where we are, whether we live or die, Jesus is still with us.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help us to always remember that You ARE Immanuel, that You are always with us. That You are closer than our own heartbeats. We praise You and glorify You that You have redeemed us and that You will be with us throughout all our trials. We pray in the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus, our Immanuel. Amen.

Isaiah 42:1-9 “Behold! My Servant whom I uphold, My Elect One in whom My soul delights! I have put My Spirit upon Him; He will bring forth justice to the Gentiles. He will not cry out, nor raise His voice, nor cause His voice to be heard in the street. A bruised reed He will not break, and smoking flax He will not quench; He will bring forth justice for truth. He will not fail nor be discouraged, till He has established justice in the earth; and the coastlands shall wait for His law.”

Thus says God the Lord, Who created the heavens and stretched them out, Who spread forth the earth and that which comes from it, Who gives breath to the people on it, and spirit to those who walk on it: “I, the Lord, have called You in righteousness, and will hold Your hand; I will keep You and give You as a covenant to the people, as a light to the Gentiles, to open blind eyes, to bring out prisoners from the prison, those who sit in darkness from the prison house. I am the Lord, that is My name; and My glory I will not give to another, nor My praise to carved images. Behold, the former things have come to pass, and new things I declare; before they spring forth I tell you of them.”

Matthew 12: 15-21” But when Jesus knew it, He withdrew from there. And great multitudes followed Him, and He healed them all. Yet He warned them not to make Him known, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying: “Behold! My Servant whom I have chosen, My Beloved in whom My soul is well pleased! I will put My Spirit upon Him, and He will declare justice to the Gentiles. He will not quarrel nor cry out, nor will anyone hear His voice in the streets. A bruised reed He will not break, and smoking flax He will not quench, till He sends forth justice to victory; and in His name Gentiles will trust.”

Matthew 20:25-28 “But Jesus called them to Himself and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those who are great exercise authority over them. Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant. And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave— just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”

John 13:1-5, 12-17 “Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that His hour had come that He should depart from this world to the Father, having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end. Andsupper being ended, the devil having already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray Him, Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He had come from God and was going to God,rose from supper and laid aside His garments, took a towel and girded Himself.After that, He poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded… So when He had washed their feet, taken His garments, and sat down again, He said to them, “Do you know what I have done to you? You call Me Teacher and Lord, and you say well, for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you. Most assuredly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master; nor is he who is sent greater than he who sent him. If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.” If we study the life of Jesus, we realize that Jesus continually and persistently fulfilled these descriptions throughout his ministry.  

Who really wants to be a servant? In Jesus’ day, there were all kinds of servants, from the lowliest who brought water and washed the dirty smelly feet of guests, to those who were so trusted that their masters allowed them to manage entire households and to conduct business on their behalf. When Jesus told stories about servants who had been given large amounts of money to invest, people could relate because these things actually happened.

But generally, servants occupied a lower social standing than that of their masters. John 13 describes Jesus washing the disciples’ feet at the time of the last supper because nobody else had been willing to carry out such a loathsome task. Jesus acted deliberately to demonstrate servanthood leadership, the concept of leaders serving those following them and not the reverse. Jesus knew that if his disciples did not learn to serve one another, they would fail to spread the good news of his death and resurrection.

Of all the ideas that Jesus embodied and continues to embody, that of servanthood leadership might be one of the most radical. Certainly, the disciples weren’t interested in serving one another; in fact, they had continuing arguments about who would be the greatest in the kingdom of God. Mathew 20 describes the time when the mother of James and John tried to beg for special favors for her sons, enraging the rest of the disciples.

 Even today, servants occupy a lower place in social standings than do those whom they serve, and yet, they are the very people whom Jesus has commended. Nothing is more encouraging than someone willing to help cheerfully, patiently, and enthusiastically. There is another benefit to being a servant: when we serve, we are far less likely to be targeted for attacks than when we stand out as lording it over others.

One of the challenges of the Christian life is to remember our main purpose: to serve the risen Christ who has saved us by His blood and delivered our souls from hell. Perhaps few famous people have gained such popularity and respect as a small Albanian nun commonly known as Mother Teresa. “Mother Teresa founded the Missionaries of Charity, a religious congregation that was initially dedicated to serving “the poorest of the poor” in the slums of Calcutta. Over the decades, the congregation grew to operate in over 133 countries, as of 2012, with more than 4,500 nuns managing homes for those dying from HIV/AIDS, leprosy, and tuberculosis, as well as running soup kitchens, dispensaries, mobile clinics, orphanages, and schools. Members of the order take vows of chastity, poverty, and obedience and also profess a fourth vow: to give “wholehearted free service to the poorest of the poor.” (Wikipedia)

Only heaven knows how many millions of people have been inspired by Mother Teresa’s example. In 1979 Mother Teresa even received the Nobel Peace Prize and has since been made a saint by the Catholic Church. But all those honors meant little to Teresa, for her goal was to serve her Savior and the poor to whom He had called her. Here are a few quotes from Teresa:

• Do not wait for leaders; do it alone, person to person.
• God doesn’t require us to succeed; he only requires that you try.
• Keep the joy of loving God in your heart and share this joy with all you meet, especially your family.
• Before you speak, it is necessary for you to listen, for God speaks in the silence of the heart.
• Little things are indeed little, but to be faithful in little things is a great thing.
• If we really want to love, we must learn how to forgive.
• Give yourself fully to God. He will use you to accomplish great things on the condition that you believe much more in His love than in your own weakness.
• Speak tenderly to them. Let there be kindness in your face, in your eyes, in your smile, in the warmth of your greeting. Don’t only give your care, but give your heart as well.

• Everybody today seems to be in such a terrible rush, anxious for greater developments and greater riches and so on, so that children have very little time for their parents. Parents have very little time for each other and in the home begins the disruption of peace in the world.
• There is a terrible hunger for love. We all experience that in our lives-the pain the loneliness. We must have the courage to recognize it. The poor you may have right in your own family. Find them. Love them.
• Like Jesus, we belong to the world not living for ourselves but for others. The joy of the Lord is our strength.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, give us servants’ hearts so that we will be more concerned about others than we are about ourselves. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Isaiah 41:1-16 “Keep silence before Me, O coastlands, and let the people renew their strength! Let them come near, then let them speak; let us come near together for judgment. “Who raised up one from the east? Who in righteousness called him to His feet? Who gave the nations before him, and made him rule over kings? Who gave them as the dust to his sword, as driven stubble to his bow? Who pursued them, and passed safely by the way that he had not gone with his feet?

Who has performed and done it, calling the generations from the beginning? ‘I, the Lord, am the first; and with the last I am He.’” The coastlands saw it and feared, the ends of the earth were afraid; they drew near and came. Everyone helped his neighbor, and said to his brother, “Be of good courage!” So the craftsman encouraged the goldsmith; he who smooths with the hammer inspired him who strikes the anvil, saying, “It is ready for the soldering;” then he fastened it with pegs, that it might not totter.

“But you, Israel, are My servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, the descendants of Abraham My friend. You whom I have taken from the ends of the earth, and called from its farthest regions, and said to you, ‘You are My servant, I have chosen you and have not cast you away:
Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’

“Behold, all those who were incensed against you shall be ashamed and disgraced; they shall be as nothing, and those who strive with you shall perish. You shall seek them and not find them—Those who contended with you. Those who war against you shall be as nothing, as a nonexistent thing.

For I, the Lord your God, will hold your right hand, saying to you, ‘Fear not, I will help you.’ “Fear not, you worm Jacob, You men of Israel! I will help you,” says the Lord and your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel. “Behold, I will make you into a new threshing sledge with sharp teeth; You shall thresh the mountains and beat them small, and make the hills like chaff. You shall winnow them, the wind shall carry them away, and the whirlwind shall scatter them; you shall rejoice in the Lord, and glory in the Holy One of Israel.”

Matthew 1:18-21 “Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: After His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit. Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not wanting to make her a public example, was minded to put her away secretly. But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, (meaning Savior) for He will save His people from their sins.”

Poor Israel! After making a glorious beginning as a country under King David and King Solomon, things rapidly went downhill, spiritually and otherwise. Solomon started the mess by refusing to follow God’s commandments for kings recorded in the Mosaic Law. Solomon married hundreds of pagan women who demanded their shrines and practices, leaving a spiritual stain on Jerusalem and the rest of the nation. Then Rehoboam, Solomon’s weak son, attempted to hold power by imposing harsh demands on people who were already over-burdened. Rehoboam’s folly resulted in the Northern Kingdom of Israel splitting away; however, Jeroboam, the first ruler of Israel, established his own pagan religion, trying to prevent his citizens from traveling to Jerusalem to worship. Things steadily became worse in both countries.

Here God is reminding His people that He is the One who establishes rulers and who removes them, that conquerors can only succeed when He aids them. No matter how many idols men create or how ornate they are, those idols are worthless before the power of the One True Living God. But God is also holding out hope to Israel, for God promises to send a Redeemer, a Savior. When Redeemer comes, he will deliver Israel and the Israelites will “rejoice in the Lord, and glory in the Holy One of Israel.”

For centuries, the Jews awaited the coming of Messiah, expecting him to be an all-powerful military ruler who would crush all the nations around them. But the Jews failed to realize the they themselves had problems no military commander could solve, for they were sinners in need of a Savior. When Jesus began his ministry, religious authorities were hopeful, but rapidly became disenchanted when Jesus obviously showed no interest in sweeping away the Roman Empire to establish his own kingdom.

What those leaders failed to realize was that God would use the pax Romana, the Roman peace, and the common languages available (Latin and Greek) to spread the good news of the Gospel throughout the Roman Empire. The excellent Roman roads and the strong Roman administrative structure enabled the first Christians to travel throughout the Empire with relative speed and safety. For those who were Roman citizens, there was an additional measure of protection, for they could not be flogged or jailed without a proper trial. Paul took advantage of this fact on more than one occasion.

One of the fascinating things about Biblical prophecy is that it can operate at many levels. Consider the tiny size of the State of Israel when compared with the many nations included in the Arab world. Israel’s rise to nationhood was little short of miraculous to begin with, and Israel has continued to survive and thrive despite intense bombardments, persecution, and unprovoked attacks.  

What is the future of Israel? Will Israel eventually fulfill the political prophecies of Isaiah 41? Only God knows and only time will tell. But one thing is sure: Messiah has come and has laid down his life as the ultimate blood sacrifice for the sins of the entire world. The term “Gospel” means “good news.” All of us are sinners in need of a Savior and all of us need a Messiah. Today, let us worship the Holy One, the Redeemer of Israel-and of us-and make Him the Lord of our hearts and lives.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, we confess that we are sinners who cannot free ourselves from our wrong-doing. Thank You for shedding Your blood as the sacrifice for our sins. Help us to follow hard after You all the days of our lives. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

1 O come, O come, Immanuel, and ransom captive Israel
that mourns in lonely exile here until the Son of God appear.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Immanuel shall come to you, O Israel.

2 O come, O Wisdom from on high, who ordered all things mightily;
to us the path of knowledge show and teach us in its ways to go. Rejoice! Rejoice! Immanuel shall come to you, O Israel.

3 O come, O come, great Lord of might, who to your tribes on Sinai’s height
in ancient times did give the law in cloud and majesty and awe. Rejoice! Rejoice! Immanuel shall come to you, O Israel.

4 O come, O Branch of Jesse’s stem, unto your own and rescue them!
From depths of hell your people save, and give them victory o’er the grave. Rejoice! Rejoice! Immanuel shall come to you, O Israel.

5 O come, O Key of David, come and open wide our heavenly home.
Make safe for us the heavenward road and bar the way to death’s abode. Rejoice! Rejoice! Immanuel shall come to you, O Israel.

6 O come, O Bright and Morning Star, and bring us comfort from afar!
Dispel the shadows of the nightand turn our darkness into light. Rejoice! Rejoice! Immanuel shall come to you, O Israel.

7 O come, O King of nations, bind in one the hearts of all mankind.
Bid all our sad divisions cease and be yourself our King of Peace. Rejoice! Rejoice! Immanuel shall come to you, O Israel.

Isaiah 40:1-5 Prepare the Way for the LORD (Matthew 3:1–12; Mark 1:1–8; Luke 3:1–20; John 1:19–28)

“Comfort, comfort My people,” says your God. “Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and proclaim to her that her forced labor has been completed; her iniquity has been pardoned. For she has received from the hand of the LORD double for all her sins.”

A voice of one calling: “Prepare the way for the LORD in the wilderness; make a straight highway for our God in the desert. Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill made low; the uneven ground will become smooth, and the rugged land a plain. And the glory of the LORD will be revealed, and all humanity together will see it.”

Matthew 3:1-3 The Mission of John the Baptist (Isaiah 40:1–5; Mark 1:1–8; Luke 3:1–20; John 1:19–28)

“In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.” This is he who was spoken of through the prophet Isaiah: “A voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for Him.’ ”

Mark 1:1-8 The Mission of John the Baptist “This is the beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. As it is written in Isaiah the prophet: “Behold, I will send My messenger ahead of You, who will prepare Your way.” “A voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for Him.’” John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. People went out to him from all of Jerusalem and the countryside of Judea. Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River. John was clothed in camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey. And he began to proclaim: “After me will come One more powerful than I, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. I baptize you with water, e but He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”

Luke 3:1-6 The Mission of John the Baptist  

“In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, while Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, Herod tetrarch of Galilee, his brother Philip tetrarch of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene, during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the wilderness. He went into all the region around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins, as it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet: “A voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for Him. Every valley shall be filled in, and every mountain and hill made low. The crooked ways shall be made straight, and the rough ways smooth. And all humanity will see God’s salvation.’”

John 1:19-28 The Mission of John the Baptist

And this was John’s testimony when the Jews of Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to ask him, “Who are you?” He did not refuse to confess, but openly declared, “I am not the Christ.” “Then who are you?” they inquired. “Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” He answered, “No.” So they said to him, “Who are you? We need an answer for those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?” John replied in the words of Isaiah the prophet: “I am a voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way for the Lord.’ ”

Then the Pharisees who had been sent asked him, “Why then do you baptize, if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?” “I baptize with water,” John replied, “but among you stands One you do not know. He is the One who comes after me, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.” All this happened at Bethany beyond the Jordan, where John was baptizing.”

John the Baptist was Jesus’ cousin and a miracle baby, the son born to Zechariah and Elizabeth when they had despaired of ever becoming pregnant. When Mary visited Elizabeth, the Holy Spirit entered John while he was in Elizabeth’s womb. As a child in a priestly family, John would have been tutored extensively in the Scriptures and would certainly know the prophecies of Isaiah. Who knows how shocked John may have been to realize that he was the chosen messenger referred to in Isaiah 40.

Notice how modestly and carefully John answered the religious authorities. Technically, John was the embodiment of Elijah and the prophet mentioned in the Scriptures; however, he merely quotes Isaiah 40:3. When the religious leaders demanded to know the source of John’s authority to baptize, he doesn’t answer directly but advises them that the Messiah is actually among them.

What can we learn from John the Baptist? While God chose John as the messenger to announce the coming of the Messiah, John did not involve himself in senseless religious arguments. John knew his mission and fulfilled it, leaving others to assume whatever they chose. When God gives you a task, stick to that task and don’t be distracted by critics.

John knew that he was preparing the way for the Messiah, although he was not certain who the Messiah would be. To that end, John was calling all those listening to him to repentance of sins. We have the advantage of knowing that Jesus the Messiah has come and has sacrificed Himself for the sins of the world. Our task is to confess our sins to God, ask for forgiveness, and to repent, changing to follow God for the rest of our lives. There’s a fine old hymn traditionally sung in Advent. As you read these words, may they enter your heart!

PRAYER:Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, only You can help us prepare our hearts for Your coming. Please forgive our sins, clean us, and make us wholly Yours. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

1. Prepare the way, O Zion! Ye awful deeps, rise high;
   Sink low, ye towering mountains, the Lord is drawing nigh;
   The righteous King of glory, foretold in sacred story.
   Refrain: O blest is He that came in God the Father’s Name.
2. O Zion, He approacheth, thy Lord and King for aye!
   Strew palms where He advanceth, spread garments in His way.
   God’s promise faileth never, Hosanna sound forever!
   Refrain: O blest is He that came in God the Father’s Name.
3. Fling wide thy portals, Zion and hail thy glorious King;
   His tidings of salvation to every people bring,
   Who, waiting yet in sadness, would sing His praise in gladness.
   Refrain: O blest is He that came in God the Father’s Name.
4. He cometh not with warriors, and not with pomp and show,
   Yet smiteth He with terror sin, death, and every foe.
   The Spirit’s sword He wieldeth, not e’en to death He yieldeth.
   Refrain: O blest is He that came in God the Father’s Name.
5. Give heed, thou sinful people, thy King and Savior own;
   The kingdom He hath founded is not an earthly one;
   No power can overthrow it, nor earthly wisdom know it.
   Refrain: O blest is He that came in God the Father’s Name.

The throne which He ascendeth is fixed in heaven above:
His sanctified dominion is light alone and love.
His praise be ever sounding for grace and peace abounding.
Refrain: O blest is He that came in God the Father’s Name.

Isaiah 9:6-7 Unto us a child is born (Matthew 4:12–17; Mark 1:14–15; Luke 4:14–15)

“For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, and the government will be upon His shoulders. And He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish and sustain it with justice and righteousness from that time and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of Hosts will accomplish this.”

At Christmastime each year, there are thousands of performances of Handel’s Messiah throughout the world; yet how many of us realize that this magnificent celebration was composed by an elderly man in the throws of bankruptcy and despair? When invited to conduct one of his works for a charity performance in Ireland, Handel decided to compose a new oratorio, turning to Scripture for inspiration. Gripped by the Holy Spirit, Handel wrote the entire oratorio, including the orchestration, in only twenty-five days, barely stopping to eat or sleep. Upon completion, Handel sobbed, “I think that I did see all heaven before me, and the great God Himself!” 

The verses from Isaiah form the words for one of the loveliest songs in the entire oratorio as they assure us that a Child WILL be, in fact, HAS been born, and that when He returns to earth, the government will be on His shoulders. Those of us who know Jesus already know Him as “Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”  We long for the day when this prophecy will be completely fulfilled. “Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish and sustain it with justice and righteousness from that time and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of Hosts will accomplish this.”

“But,” you exclaim, “I don’t see righteous governments in power anywhere in the world.” True. All governments are flawed because all leaders are human; however, Jesus the Messiah is the Son of God, holy and righteous, and wise beyond all knowing. When Jesus returns to rule and reign, he will reign righteously and justly. But for now, Jesus will reign in our hearts if we will allow Him. Our hearts can become little Bethlehems where the Christ Child rules and reigns, and we can have love and peace and joy that can never be taken away from us.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, please come into our hearts, cleanse us from all unrighteousness, take away our sins, and rule and reign in our hearts and lives. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Isaiah 9:1-5 (Matthew 4:12–17; Mark 1:14–15; Luke 4:14–15)

“Nevertheless, there will be no more gloom for those in distress. In the past He humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the future, He will honor the Way of the Sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations: The people walking in darkness

have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death, a light has dawned. You have enlarged the nation and increased its joy. The people rejoice before You as they rejoice at harvest time, as men rejoice in dividing the plunder. For as in the day of Midian You have shattered the yoke of their burden, the bar across their shoulders, and the rod of their oppressor. For every trampling boot of battle and every garment rolled in blood will be burned as fuel for the fire.”

What was this “Galilee of the Gentiles?” Biblestudytools.com gives the following information: Galilee was the venue for most of Jesus’ ministry. It was located in modern-day Northern Israel, which in Jesus’ day was part of the Roman Empire. One of the three provinces of ancient Palestine, it included the whole northern section of the country, the Jordan River and Sea of Galilee forming the Eastern border. Lower Galilee, with great plain and hill country running down into the Jordan, was  “one of the richest and most beautiful sections of Palestine,” explains Smith’s Bible Dictionary Upper Galilee, known biblically as “Galilee of the Gentiles,” was mountainous.

Jesus grew up in Nazareth, one of the two major cities of Galilee, says Encyclopedia Britannica. Isaiah 9:1 says, “…but in the future he will honor Galilee of the nations, by the Way of the Sea, beyond the Jordan.” Galilee can be translated to mean wheel or revolution. Though much effort was made by the Roman Empire to keep it a peaceful territory, word of Jesus and His followers threatened to disrupt that peace, and eventually reached all the way to Rome.

Galilee, a piece of land containing approximately twenty towns, was gifted to King Hiram of Tyre by Solomon “for his work in conveying timber from Lebanon to Jerusalem” says Smith’s Bible Dictionary. During the reigns of King David and King Solomon in the 10th century BC, Encyclopedia Britannica says “it came under the northern kingdom of Israel.”  

Historians have varying theories about why Galilee was largely deserted for over half a millennium after the Assyrian invasion.  A century before Jesus, the area was re-populated by Judean immigrants. “Galilee was the most pagan of the Jewish provinces,” says theologian Frederick Bruner. The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia adds, “Their mixed origin explains the differences in speech which distinguished them from their brethren in the South, who regarded Galilee and the Galileans with a certain proud contempt.”

A large population settled there in the century before Christ. “Galilee was a region of great natural fertility,” records Bible Hub, continuing that “It rejects no plant, for the air is so genial that it suits every variety.” It was a rich land and a cultured people. “Josephus (a 1st Century AD Roman-Jewish historian) estimates the population at 3,000,000,” records the International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. “This helps us to understand the crowds that gathered and followed Jesus in this district.” 

During the life of Jesus, Galilee was part of the Roman Empire. Located strategically between Syria and Egypt, Roman leaders and allies were placed in rule there to ensure peace. Ruled by foreigners, relations between the Gentiles and Jewish people were tense. Historically significant is Galilee’s strong resistance to the Roman Empire, putting up the greatest fight among Jewish populations. Easton’s Bible Dictionary notes Galilee was “the scene of some of the most memorable events of Jewish history.”

Jesus lived in Galilee for approximately thirty years. Galilean Jews had a recognizable accent, therefore Jesus’ disciples were easily identified. Jesus left Judea for Galilee when John the Baptist was arrested, to allude the Pharisees (experts in Jewish law). The way in which He traveled from Judea to Galilee is significant. Originally from Nazareth of Galilee, Jesus would have been very familiar with the route most Jews took to avoid going through Samaria. The Jews and Samaritans hated each other, yet Jesus chose to walk through Samaria before beginning His public ministry in Galilee. 

Every step Jesus took on earth was intentional. He had been rejected in His hometown of Nazareth, and so traveled to begin His ministry in the Galilean city of Capernaum. The people Jesus choose to preach to first were “looked upon with contempt as rude and boorish,” Matthew Henry records. The Galilean people were predominately Jewish, but heritage had been blended over the decades, leaving “the purely Jewish element” to be “relatively small.” Christ humbled Himself to begin His preaching, not to scholarly men, but those “fit for soldiers.”

God shows up in the most unlikely places! Of all the places in which to minister in Israel, Galilee seems like the least likely, and yet, that’s where Jesus would spend most of his ministry. God knew that the racially mixed people of Galilee would be spiritually hungry and would flock to hear Jesus. The tough Galilean fishermen might have outlandish accents but they had stout hearts and would become fathers of the Christian Church. Jesus would preach in the Galilee and ignite spiritual flames that would continue to burn until his return.

While we can understand the verses about rejoicing, what about this prediction? “For as in the day of Midian You have shattered the yoke of their burden, the bar across their shoulders, and the rod of their oppressor. For every trampling boot of battle and every garment rolled in blood will be burned as fuel for the fire.” As far as we know, this part of the prophecy has yet to be fulfilled; however, fulfillment might come when Messiah returns. On the other hand, the establishment and continued survival of the State of Israel is nothing short of miraculous, so perhaps this prophecy has already been fulfilled.

What about us? Many of us may have faced rejection or scorn, if not in our families, then at school or in our communities. We may have felt that we, like the Galileans, have been living “in the land of the shadow of death.”  The good news for us is that Jesus, the Messiah, has already come and has conquered death, hell, and the grave. We too may see a great light in our hearts and lives.

This Advent season, why not give yourself the greatest gift of all-surrender your heart and life to the Lord Jesus Christ and receive forgiveness of sins, pardon, and new life? The gifts under the Christmas tree will eventually fall apart, wear out, or otherwise become useless. But the gifts and joy Jesus gives are presents that will become ever brighter and more precious through the years.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, we confess that we are sinners, caught in our own wrong-doing. Please forgive us and deliver us from those sins. Help us to follow hard after You for the rest of our lives, knowing that You give eternal life and that when we die, we will be in heaven with You forever. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.